Audio System or large room area. (1 Viewer)

Hi all, Have been reading your forums with interest & learning many helpful ideas. There was a question asked on an earlier thread regarding my query but that was dated over a year ago. I will detail my position as best as I can. Please note I have never had much to do with speaker or audio systems so please excuse my ignorance on some of the questions I ask. Currently looking at a system to integrate with both TV & music if possible. The area is approx 1100 sq ft. This incorporates kitchen, dining & lounge area. The ceilings are 12ft high. Flooring is marble. One wall is completely glass while the others are solid. At present the layout is best suited to have the TV mounted on the wall furthest from the windows, distance approx 37ft. The design of the kitchen & living area does not really allow for any floor to ceiling walls or partition to be installed. I have had a visit from 1 of the local audio equipment outlets. They specialize in mainly JBL equipment . Below is the equipment they have suggested. The Network 6 system. That is the marketing here. Denon AVR-3313 JBL LS-60 JBL LS-40 JBL LS center JBL Sub LS120P Price US 6,900 I Priced the same products online from the UK & USA & price worked out at about US6200. That was just a random check. i did not look for any specials. The front speakers would all be mounted in a made to order wall unit. seating for the TV would be approx 15 to 16ft from the TV but could be more or less. At present we are looking at a 55" to 60" TV. The house is in Thailand so not all systems are available. I am getting information together as to what can be sourced locally without having to resort to dealing with importing goods. I have found an outlet in Bangkok which has a lot of products but may not be the very latest models. I also plan to install some ceiling speakers for music feed as well as out door speakers to the pool area. I have had nothing to do with the JBL system. The outlay for the system is more than I was originally expecting but is still within budget. I am more interested in seeing if this system would be a good product for my situation . As the house nears completion I want a system that will stand up within an upmarket house. Look forward to all your comments any suggestions greatly appreciated & I will look to see if any products mentioned can be sourced in Thailand. http://www.piyanas.com/product_brand.php?lang=en Above is the largest outlet in Thailand their web page . thanks & regards Harve

JBL LS are good speakers...and your price is not out of line for what you'd pay in the US. The Thai webstore sells all sorts of stuff. If the JBL LS is too much, get Polk TSi. If that is too cheap, check out the Mordaunt Short Aviano. If you want to see a total budget buster, check out Wilson Audio. Be sitting down when you get acquainted with Sasha and Sophia...

Thanks for the quick reply . I will have a look at the speakers you mentioned. the price for the JBL does not overly worry me . I just want them to be the right system for the room size & layout. I will edit me original post to reflect this. regards Harve Edit in. Just met Sophia & Sasha wasn't sitting down when I did but soon was. LOL.

Pretty much any tower speaker is going to work. Large space, large speaker. Most of the speakers you are going to find are 87db and higher efficiency. That large a room will take a lot less power than you think. I would bet 50wpc(actual amount of power...not the BS the AVR maker gets to slap on the box) would be more than enough. Pretty much any $600+(original price) AVR is going to come up with that much power.

I would choose B&W over JBL. The JBL would offer terrible performance if you wall mounted it or put it in a stand. It makes absolutely no sense to place a floor standing speaker in a case. JBL speakers are not worth your money. There are much better performers for the same kind of money. I would avoid the JBL subwoofer. It's too expensive for not good performance. Don't skimp on the subwoofer. It's the most important component of a system. I mean without bass your movies will sound boring. With wimpy bass your experience will be no fun. Keep looking around. Find a shop who will make a complete package deal. Do you plan on doing the installation yourself? If you insist on placing the speakers in a cabinet look at the Mordaunt speakers that were listed on the webpage you mentioned. They are a very fine speaker that offers good midrange sound reproduction. Let the subwoofer take care of the rest. With a glass wall in the room your going to be dealing with room reflections etc...Going small with the speakers won't be a bad thing as long as you go big with the sub. Use a 15 inch subwoofer. The JBL is junk. It's a cheapo woofer in the cabinet and a wimpy amp.

Where did he say(even before he edited) he was going to put a tower speaker in a case? And since when is ANY new speaker a good bargain? Being in Thailand I have no idea what kind of used market he has to choose from...but calling the JBL LS "a bad choice" is just wrong.

The JBL subwoofer is pathetic. It's lacking any substance. JBL speakers today are not the same as when they were built like the old Altecs. Clearly you didn't read the ops post. He said the speakers were going to be placed in a ready to order case. That implies in something does it not? Placing large speakers such as the JBL will require a good amount away from the rear walls. So can we clarify? Are the speakers in fact going into a ready to made case as the op specified? If that is the case a tower speaker wouldn't be a great idea. I don't think calling the JBL a bad choice is wrong. Tower speakers don't belong in cabinets. They belong away from the walls. Big speakers in a room with a glass wall is asking for trouble.

Big speakers in a room with glass is asking for trouble? What trouble that ANY speaker other speaker will deal with better? Seriously? I read his prior post as a purpose built wall for the audio. Since when is "purpose built wall" the same as "in a case"? Also, based on "the cost" of the AVR w/speakers...they are essentially giving him this subwoofer. Are there better subwoofers? Sure there are. But at his price quote...this sub is thrown in.

Thanks for the replies. To clarify regarding the wall unit. The design of this is very fluid. I have talked to the cabinet maker / joiner & we are not going to start on this until I have decided on what system will be installed. The wall unit will then be designed & built in consultation with whoever I purchase the system from. It may well only end up with parts of it enclosed & the speakers as stand alone. Reading my original post I didn't explain it clearly enough, sorry for that. I have about 16 ft of wall so have a choice of many configurations. The wall unit ( front) standoff to the main wall be approx 2 1/2ft to 3 ft.The final basics of the design will be very much up to the audio package provider. The JBL sub is indeed part of the package. I have not committed to any of their products be it speakers or Subwoofer but this was the first full package that I was able to source.So a different subwoofer could be an option but will add add to the cost. i may be able to trade on the JBL s/woofer if I finally go with the JBL. I will not be doing the installation. Installation by the outlet will be part of the deal. Used speakers in Thailand> I have not been able to find but until I saw your post had not really explored this option. I will be able to check into this more when I am in Bangkok. Again thanks for the thoughts & I will continue to follow up on all your suggestions. Regards Harve

Hi all, have continued to look at systems for the room as above. Am not yet back in country so unable to talk to supplier direct.. I have done some research on Klipsch which I am able to source in Bangkok. Most of the reviews I have seen have been positive. what I was looking at was Klipsch RF 82II , RC 64II, RS 62II. The speakers are within budget . I did see on one of the reviews was regarding the placing of the RF 82II. The reviewer stated that the RF 82II ( pair) should be approx 32" from sidewalls, 7 1/2 feet from each other & 65" from any back wall. The sidewall & distance from each other would not be a problem for my area. The 65" from the back wall would be doable but around 36" to 40" would be my preference. How important is this spacing? Any advice ,comments, thoughts on the speaker quality & distances mentioned in the review would be greatly appreciated.

5 feet off a back wall seems extreme. 2-ish feet is plenty.

Horn loaded speakers like the Klipsch are unique sounding, in-your-face kinda thing. Though auditioning before you buy is always a good philosophy I think its especially true for Klipsch speakers, will you have a chance to listen before you buy?

Sam thanks for that the . The 2 to 3 ft space would work in well. Was a bit worried about 5 to 6ft wouldn't fit in with the set up to well. Ty. Don't know how the outlet is set up for listening to the speakers as I have not been to the shop yet. I doubt they would have any used ones that I could listen to only new ones in whatever type of environment they have. I will continue to look at all alternatives as well as sub & receiver to complement. any opinions regarding this speaker choice for a large area?